How to Prepare Your Kid for a Move

Planning to relocate involves many factors like packing, hiring end of lease cleaners, notifying the utility companies of the termination dates, getting your deposit back, finding a new dwelling, and etc. While you might look forward to moving to a new home as it means a new beginning, a new (in the best scenario better job), more space for everyone, better neighbourhood and many other things, to your little angel it might be the scariest thing he/ she has ever had to face, so don't forget to thoroughly plan how to prepare your kid for the move.

The good news is that children, especially the young ones, are very adaptable, and once you get them on board with the idea, you might just have the most adorable little helpers. Nevertheless, if you want the move to go through as smoothly as possible, you should mind these simple steps:

Don't wait for the last minute to tell your kid what is about to happen:

One of the biggest mistakes parents make when preparing their child for the move is to put off breaking the news, until the packing starts, or even till a couple of days before the actual move. Instead, gently inform the child of your plans as soon as the decision is final. You ought to be very clear as not to cause any confusion or even scare the little one. Use simple words like “We will have a new house soon”.

Don't show that you are frustrated, no matter how much stress you are under:

Relocation, no matter how many positive changes it will lead to, is always at least a little bit stressful. There are simply too many things you need to think about, plan and execute in a limited amount of time, so you are bound to feel frustrated at time. As you know very well, children are extremely sensitive to their parents' moods, and if your toddler so much as gets a whiff of your negative attitude, he/ she will feel confused and scared, which will lead to more worries for you, so be as upbeat as possible and give him/ her lots of hugs and kisses.

Mark the Date:

Expecting a big event like the birthday, the first day of school or the move can be very unnerving both for your precious angel and for you – mainly for having to answer how many days are left. To make things easier for everyone, you can make a calendar, and mark the days left until the nice men form Furniture Removals Melbourne come to pick up your belongings on it. To be even more exciting, turn the creation of the calendar into a fun DIY project for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Involve Your Kid in the Preparation:

Always explain what you are doing and why as you start packing up. Even better, ask your child to help you put his stuff away in boxes. Knowing that his/ her bed will be moving with you will comfort him/ her. If you have a pet, make it clear that it will come along as well. Breaking every step into manageable pieces of information will also help calm and prepare your kid for the move. For instance, detail how on the day of the move, the movers will pack everything, and load it on a truck, so that when you arrive at your new, wonderful home, your belongings will be there, waiting for you.

If you can, visit the new dwelling with your child:

In case you aren't undertaking a long-distance move, you should take a trip to your new home, and familiarise your little angel with the neighbourhood, the nearest playground, shop, the new school and etc. It will set him/ her at ease, knowing that the new location has the same, if not even better perks as the old one. If you are relocating to another town or city, you should at least find some photos of the house online, take a virtual tour in the neighbourhood, and visit the school's website. Print some of them out, so that your kid can easily see them whenever he/ she is feeling anxious.

Most importantly, don't forget that your kid's reactions will be based on the emotions you communicate to him/ her, so staying calm and positive is the best attitude.